Newborn Babies - Baby's Care After a Cesarean Delivery

What is rotavirus?

Rotavirus is a contagious virus and, among children, is the leading cause of severe diarrhea. In some infants and children, diarrhea may be so severe that they become dehydrated and may require emergency care or hospitalization.

Prior to the use of the rotavirus vaccine in 2006, as many as 55,000 children were hospitalized each year in the U.S. due to rotavirus infections.

The virus peaks during the cooler months of the year starting in the fall and ending in the spring.

Most children have been infected with rotavirus by the time they are age 2.

The majority of children acquire the virus between 3 months and 35 months.

A child or adult may become infected with rotavirus more than once, but, usually, the initial case is the most severe and subsequent infections are more mild.

How is rotavirus spread?

Transmission of rotavirus most often occurs through fecal-oral contact. Usually, this occurs from poor hand washing or from ingestion of contaminated food or water. The virus may also be transmitted through the respiratory tract or by other body fluids, but these routes are less common. The virus may live on inanimate surfaces, such as doorknobs, toys, and hard surfaces, for quite some time. For this reason, outbreaks can occur in child care centers and within families who share a household. The hospitalized child will need to be isolated from other children to prevent transmission of the virus.

After coming in contact with the virus, it may take up to two days for symptoms to develop.

What are the symptoms of rotavirus?

The symptoms for rotavirus can range from mild to severe. The following are the most common symptoms of rotavirus. However, each child may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include.

Fever, which usually subsides within the first couple of days

Nausea and vomiting

Abdominal pain

Diarrhea (usually watery and frequent; may last between three to eight days)

Dehydration, which can occur quickly, especially in infants. Symptoms of dehydration may include:

Lethargy or sleepiness

Irritability

Thirst

Pale color to skin or mottling

Less elasticity in the skin

Eyes appear deeply sunken

Baby's fontanelle (or soft spot) may feel sunken

Decreased or absent tears

Decreased urine output or fewer wet diapers

Dry mouth

How is rotavirus diagnosed?

In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, a stool culture may be used to detect the virus.

What is the treatment for rotavirus?

Specific treatment for rotavirus will be determined by your child's doctor based on:

There is no cure for rotavirus, so treatment of the disease is supportive (aimed at treating the symptoms present). Treatment may include:

Oral rehydration with water, formula, breast milk and/or special electrolyte--containing fluids (fluids containing sugars and salts), such as Pedialyte (very young children should NOT be rehydrated with soda, juices, or sports drinks)

Continue feeding your child solid foods (if he or she is able to tolerate it)

About one out of every 40 children may develop severe enough dehydration to require hospitalization. In these children treatment may include:

Intravenous (IV) fluids.

Nasogastric (NG) tube feedings. A small tube may be placed into your child's stomach through his or her nose so that formula or fluids may be administered.

Blood work. The blood work measures your child's electrolyte levels--sugar, salt, and other chemicals in the blood.

How can rotavirus be prevented?

The following will help to prevent the spread of the rotavirus:

Proper hygiene and hand washing technique

Cleaning hard surfaces, toys, and doorknobs

Proper handling and disposal of dirty diapers, even after your child no longer has symptoms

If your child develops rotavirus, he or she may not be able to attend day care or school while he or she is ill. If your child is hospitalized, he or she will be isolated from other children to prevent an outbreak in the hospital.

A rotavirus vaccine that was approved by the FDA in 1998 was pulled from the market in 1999 because of an association between the vaccine and an increased risk for intussusception in infants younger than age 1. (Intussusception means a portion of the intestine telescopes within another immediately adjacent portion of intestine.) However, no direct link was established to the vaccine as a cause of intussusception.

The FDA has approved two oral rotavirus vaccines, RotaTeq and Rotarix. No risk for intussusception was found in clinical trials with the vaccines. The CDC recommends that infants receive either the RotaTeq oral vaccine at age 2 months, 4 months, and 6 months or the Rotarix oral vaccine at age 2 months and 4 months.